EARTHWORM SPECIES DIVERSITY IN RAJASTHAN-A REVIEW

Earthworms are primary soil biota which has a dynamic potential for sustainable agriculture. These megadrili (Annelida: Clitellata) species are grouped into different ecological categories imparting to sustainability of pedoecosystem. A number of earthworm species have less reported from diverse ecological condition of Rajasthan. It embarks the need to review earthworm biodiversity. They are considered as an important soil bio-indicator. There are 18 species of earthworm. They belong to fifteen genera and five families (Megascolecidae, Ocnerodrilidae, Octochaetidae, Glossoscolecidae and Lumbricidae). Among them maximum number of earthworm species are from Megascolecidae and minimum from Glossoscolecidae family. There is patchy distribution of earthworms, maximum number of these are exotic peregrine 55.56% (10) and lowest number are endemic peregrine with 44.44% (8) species. All of the endemic peregrine species belong to the Megascolecidae and Octochaetidae families. This comprehensive information about earthworm biodiversity of Rajasthan may help further investigation on earthworm diversity.